Basic Italian for English Speakers

The aim of the book is to teach basic Italian in fifteen lessons. Readers will learn the language by building sentences and phrases as they proceed through the lessons. Italian grammar is quite complicated so grammar rules have been simplified where possible and are used in exercises, comprehension and even games so that the reader can practice immediately and in a fun way.

Explanations begin in English, but as the book progresses, the English language is gradually phased out and Italian is used primarily to explain and elaborate.

This is not meant to be an exhaustive Italian grammar book. Its objective is to present basic Italian in an easily understandable way for English-speaking people who may want to holiday, spend longer periods, or even decide to set up home in this truly beautiful country.

Karen Elizabeth Villani was born in London and moved to Italy in 1977 after graduating in French and Italian at the Polytechnic of Central London. She taught English at Parma University and in 1986 moved to the Abruzzo area of Italy with her husband and three children. She has taught English and Italian to students of all ages and has published two novels for teenagers in Italian and a children’s book in English.